Socket or mounting for vacuum tubes



Dec. 31, I929. G. J. ME UER I SOCKET OR MOUNTING FOR VACUUM TUBES Filed Aug. 28, 1925 Ilia IN VEN TOR.

I ATTORNEY Patented I 1929 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE GEORGE J. MEUER, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS,

TO GUTLER-H AMMEB ING MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELA- wean socxnr on MOUNTING non vacuum 'ronns Application filed August as, 1925. Serial no- 53,037.

This invention relatesto improvements in sockets or mounting for vacuum tubes and connections.

more particularly for tubes having contact pins certain of which are distinctive in cross section.

An object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple and compact' device of the above character.

Another object is to provide a socket adapt ed to-accommodate vacuum tubes of the character aforementioned and further adapted to utilize the cross sectional dissimilarity of the the contact pins to insure proper polarityof Another object is to provide a socket of a form adapted to facilitate molding thereof.

invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vacuum tube socket or mountlng constructed in accordance 'with my invention; v

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3- is a side elevational view thereof; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view onthe line 41- 1 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5 -5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, in which like parts a e designated by like characters of reference i the several figures, the numeral 10 indicates generally a base.member,.which is preferably formed from a suitable insulating plastlc molding composition. The base member comprises, as an integral part thereof, a substantially fru'sto-conical extension or projection 11, the latter being provided in teriorly thereof with .a correspondingly shaped cavity 12 (Figs. 2and 4). The pro- Ijection 11 is also Provided with a plurality of slots 13,14, 15 and 16; the pairs'of slots.

13, 15 and 14; 16 preferably being in alinement, as clearly shown in Fig.2. Said slots embodiment of. theare adapted to penetrate the angular wall of projection 11, as best shown in Fig. 4, be-

low the horizontal disk-shaped portion 17 of the latter. The portion 17 is provided with a pair of relatively small openings 18 registering with slots 14 and 15 and a pair-of relatively large openings 19 registering with plurality of relatively shallow notches or channels 13, 14 15 and 16*,,said channels being in alinement with the respective slots 13, 14, 15 and 16. Base member 10 is provided with openings 21 intermediate the ends of each of said channels, said openings being adapted to receive the annularly inturned and screw-threaded portions 22 of contact clips or elements 23. The lower ends of openings 21 are countersunk, as indicated at 24, to accommodate the headed ends 25 of suitable screws 25 adapted to cooperate with said threaded portions 22 for holding elements 23 in position, suitable spring or lockwashers 26 being provided, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. i j

Contact elements 23 are preferably of the type disclosed in the copending joint application of myself and W. C. Steven's, Serial N 0. 737,516, filed September13, 1924, and comprise essentially a pair of inner substantially parallel lugs 27 and a pair of outer substantially parallel lugs 28. Said elements 23 are bent at two points 29 and 30 (Fig. 4) to provide for proper spacing of the pairs of lugs 27 beneath the respective openings 18 and 19. Elements 23 are adapted to fit snugly within their respective channels 13*, 14:,

etc., whereby upon tightening of the screws 25 said elements are rigidly held in position.

" Nuts 31 are preferably provided for cooperation with the upwardly projecting ends of the screws 25, whereby the latter may be utilized as bindingpostsfor effecting temporar circuit connections of the socket. If desired suitable indicia may be provided upon or adjacent to the respective contact elements nections for the latter. The lugs 28 are adapted to provide for permanent connection of the device in circuit, said lugs being bent over the respective terminal wires and s01- dered thereto.

As aforeindicated, the socket herein described is particularly adapted to receive and hold a vacuum tube having two large and two small contacting pins or electrodes (not shown), the pairs of openings 18 and 19 be ing adapted to properly position the pins and to guide the same into engagement with the respective pairs of contact clips 27.- The elements 23 are all of like construction, whereas the pairs of lugs registering with the openings 19 are preferably spread apart slightly prior to assembly thereof, as best shown in Fig. 5, to equalize the clamping effect of the four pairs of clips 27 upon the largeand small contact pins. It will be understood, however, that such prior spreading operation may be omitted if desired.

The socket base 10 is provided with openings 32 at opposite sides thereof to receive securing screws or bolts (not shown), annular projections 33 being preferably provided for effecting two-point contact of the base with a panel or other support. The latter arrangement is adapted to prevent splitting or breaking of, base 10 due to warping or other inequalities in the lower surface thereof.

The aforementioned annular projection or rim 20 is adapted to assist in centering the Vacuum tube or initially guiding the contact pins thereof, whereas the base of the tube is adapted to engage or rest upon said rim. when the tubeis in proper position. However, it will be understood that rim 20 may be omitted if desired. Similarly the spacing of lugs 27 with respect to the under surface of disk-shaped portion 17 may be varied if desired, and other changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

The manner (if assembling the various elements of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vacuum tube socket or mounting, the combination with a molded insulating base having'an integral upwardly extending projection, the upper surface of said projection being of disk-shape, said projection having a plurality of radially arranged lateral openings, and a plurality of pairs of upstanding frictional contact clips freely insertable through said openings, said clips having integral terminal portions arranged at substantially right angles thereto and secured to the upper surface of said base.

2. In a' vacuum tube socket or mounting, the combination with a molded insulating base having an upwardly extending frustoconical shaped projection, said projection having a perforated end surface substantially parallel with the upper surface of the main body of said base, and a plurality of radially arranged combined frictional contact clips and terminals, said clips each comprising a plurality of upstanding arms arranged at substantially right angles to said terminals respectively and being freely insertable through corresponding openings in said projection intermediate said surfaces.

3. In a yacuum tube socket, the combination with an insulating base having a hollow integral extension the inner and outer surfaces of which are of substantially frustoconical shape, the upper end of said extension being parallel with the upper surface of the main body of said base, a plurality of terminals each comprising a strip of resilient metal secured to the last-mentionel surface, and integral upwardly extending frictional contact clips on each of said terminals, said contact clips being freely insertable through corresponding openings in the wall of said extension.

4. In a vacuum tube socket, the combination with an insulating base having a hollow integral extension the inner and outer surfaces of which are of substantially frustoconical shape, the upper end of said extension being parallel with the upper surface of the main body of said base and having a plurality of pairs of perforations of unlike size adapted to receive and guide correspond ing pairs of vacuum tube contact pins, and a plurality of metallic members secured to the upper surface of said base and extending inwardly through corresponding openings in the wall of said extension, the inner ends of said members each having integral upturned substantially parallel lugs or clips in alignment with said perforations.

5. In a vacuum tube socket, the combination with a molded base of insulating material, said base having an integral extension the inner and outer surfaces of which are of substantially frusto-conical shape, a plurality of radially arranged slots extending laterally through said extension and throughout the major portion of the height of the latter, a plurality of relatively large and relatively small perforations through the end surface. of said extension, said perforations being adapted to register with said slots, a plurality of upwardly extending contact clips freely insertable through said slots and having integral terminal portions secured to the upper surface of said base, said clips being adapted to register with said perforations.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. 

